Ultimatum Revisited
by Britin Anne McCarthy
Summary: Shaggy sees Velma talking with another guy in the hallways at school and he automatically jumps to conclusions.


Okay, Shaggy could totally admit it, he'd been watching Velma during class but that was only because Ms. Cranston spit and it was better then seeing what she'd previously eaten come flying out of her mouth. Plus social studies was on held on the schools lower level and there was nothing to see outside the windows except peoples feet. Alright that was an excuse but he could totally quit anytime he wanted to, really he could! There was just something about the way her orange sweater fit her curves even from the back and no he wasn't blushing! It was just really hot in the classroom. That's it, really hot.

When the bell rang Shaggy set a new record for gathering his things and bolting out into the hallway even for him. He thought he'd made it scot-free, it wasn't that he didn't want to talk to Velma exactly after all they were still solving mysteries together as a gang. It was just, well he was pretty sure she hadn't forgiven him and she could probably feel him watching her. She was so smart Shaggy wouldn't be surprised if she had eyes in the back of her head or one of those crazy sixth senses or something.

When he reached the doorway though he froze and a not so gentle shove from a oh so gracious classmate sent him flailing into the hallway gangly limbs and all. There was Velma standing there on the stairway leading to the main level in the sunlight which brought out the highlights in her hair, not that he noticed no way no how! She wasn't hurrying off to her next class with her nose buried in a book like usual though, she was standing, with the rest of the school moving around her like salmon spawning up stream, smiling and talking with some guy. Not just any guy either Shaggy noticed as he moved closer out of the way of the jostling crowd, it was a football player and she wasn't just smiling at him she was touching his arm!

But that was his smile, the one she especially saved for him! Rationally he knew you can't save a smile and he really had no claim over anything since he chose to stay with Scooby-Doo but it still bothered him. No one else should be that close to her, he didn't know the guy and he didn't like it. What if he was like trying to harvest Velma's brain or something? Okay the possibility was slim but with everything they'd seen, even though they had turned out to be guys in costumes he totally wasn't ruling out the possibility. The bell rang then and Shaggy looked around quickly realizing he'd not only lost sight of Velma and the unnamed guy but he was going to be late for his next class which was gym and that was clear across the school.

He wound up with detention and on top of that he also argued with Mr. Jackson the gym teacher, which was totally unlike him and nearly got him a week's work of detention until he clammed up, backed down and attempted to play basket ball with the rest of class. Only to wind up tripping over his shoe laces, missing the basket and smacking the teacher in the back of the head with the ball nearly causing the balding man to swallow his whistle. Thankfully he was out of the gym and changed faster then the teacher could catch up with him. Running from all those monsters was finally coming in handy!

Detention was dull, he'd been there so many times though he swore it wasn't his own fault, that the teacher in charge was threatening to permanently label a desk for him. Sheesh, solve a few mysteries, trap a few unsuspecting innocents and you wind up in detention a half a dozen times. Shaggy hadn't even made those traps, Fred had! Course it could had been worse, the time they accidentally caught the Principal Freddie was stuck helping his dad out at City Hall and detention didn't look so bad then.

When he was finally let out of school Shaggy rushed to the parking lot crossing his fingers and hoping that Velma would still be there. The gang didn't have a mystery that they were currently working on but that didn't mean she couldn't be researching something. The parking lot however was empty aside from Daphne and Fred who gave their lanky friend a smile as he stumbled to a stop beside them.

"Like," Shaggy panted pausing to catch his breath having hurried from the detention room to the parking lot. "Have you guys seen V?"

Daphne who was attempting to untie Fred from a trap misfire which the blond had been previously trying to demonstrate nodded, "She got a ride home earlier with some big guy, didn't catch his name."

"And you let her?" Clearly Shaggy was appalled by his friends lack of judgment and he stared open mouthed as Daphne untied the last knot.

"He was cute," She gave a small shrug and tried to hide her smile, "Who knows maybe he'll even ask her out!"

Shaggy threw both arms up in the air defeated and headed toward home, "He could be sucking her brains out right now and you don't seem to care!"

Fred watched in confusion as his friend stormed off muttering about brain sucking zombie football players and Daphne just patted him on the shoulder and gave him a small smile. "I'll explain it to you later, for now lets just hope he doesn't do anything to drastic."

Meanwhile Shaggy hurried home to pick up the best monster hunting supplies one could find in the Rogers garage as he came to a sudden conclusion. It was as if someone had switched on the oven light in his head. Fred was dating Daphne. Fred was dating Daphne and still enjoying his obsession with traps. So then that meant he could have Velma and his friendship with Scooby, he didn't have to choose! Though he did have to figure out how to explain to Scooby-Doo that he would want alone time with Velma and there was still the whole winning her back thing along with saving her from the brain sucking zombie. Though every plan was a multi step process.

A total of fifteen minutes later and Shaggy had rope, a pair of hedge clippers and a bag full of clams. Hey if they took the Captain's nose they might be useful, otherwise he could always use a snack. He also had a moping dog at home but had promised tacos and a Vincent Van Ghoul movie night if Scooby had agreed to let Shaggy go and do this alone, the Great Dane hadn't been to happy but he eventually relented.

When Shaggy knocked on Velma's door he pinched himself to make sure he wasn't imagining the cherry red convertible parked in front of her house. His knees shock and he was tempted to run but the thought of Velma alone with that brain sucker made him stand his ground. When the door swung open he had the hedge clippers up like a shield and the clams dripping out of his pants pocket onto the porch with his eyes tightly shut.

"Shaggy?" Velma stared in utter disbelief as another clam landed on her porch with a plop and he slowly opened one eye.

"Um like I'm here to save you."

"From what exactly? The uprising of shrubbery?"

Shaggy blinked and then shook his head, "No the brain shucking zombie I saw you with in the hall. Like the guy whose car is outside!"

Shaggy jerked a thumb over his shoulder and Velma gave the car a quick glance before trying to smother a chuckle which came out as a snort. Standing before her Shaggy was confused. Why wasn't she running, did he get to her already? Maybe he was to late!

"You saw me talking to some guy at school so you automatically assumed he was a brain sucking zombie and you rushed over here to protect me?" Velma asked and this time she didn't try to hide her chuckle.

"Well after detention," Shaggy said with an enthused nod. "And like stopping at home for supplies."

"Ah yes, I see your well stocked. But I'm fine and I've got company so I'll see you in school alright?" Velma gave him one last amused smile and went to shut the door.

"You can't date him!" Shaggy blurted out putting a foot on the threshold so she couldn't shut the door.

It was Velma's turn to blink now and for a moment she just stared at Shaggy. "Excuse me?"

"I mean…" He paused searching for words. "Like I talked to Scooby, he's at home. He's agreed to give us some space after I told him everything I mean about how I like feel and stuff." Shaggy's face was hopeful maybe even a little bit puppy dog eyed as he stared at Velma and he was crossing his fingers that this gesture wasn't coming to late on his part.

Velma looked over her shoulder in the direction of the kitchen briefly then back at Shaggy chewing on her lower lip, a tell tale sign that she was thinking things over. Perhaps she was giving in to easily, perhaps it was hormones. But he had rushed over here to make sure she was alright and technically if anyone was going to be a brain sucking zombie why not a football player?

"Adam!" Velma said raising her voice as she grabbed Shaggy by the shirt and pulled him inside and started heading toward the den leaving a trail of last of the clams behind them, "I believe their towing your car you probably parked to close to that fire hydrant again."

"My parents are going to kill me!" Adam, the football player ran past with his backpack muttering a string of obscenities and narrowly missing the hedge clippers tripping over the hedge clippers that Shaggy had left on the porch.

"Just so you know," Velma said pulling away only to lock the door and then hurried back to the couch where Shaggy was sitting and curling against his side. "I was only tutoring him in Algebra so he wouldn't be kicked off the team. My parents and the Principal thought it might keep me out of trouble."

Shaggy grinned as he leaned down knocking his forehead gently against Velma's before brushing his lips against hers slightly. "Like I'm just glad your willing to give me a second chance Velm's I…"

She grinned placing a finger to his lip and again grabbing a handful of his shirt and pulling him closer, "Shh, to much talking and way to much time to make up for." Wrapping his arms around her and holding her close Shaggy could only smile against her lips in agreement.


End file.
